External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar took a veiled dig at both Pakistan and China in his address at a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Speaking about the challenges faced in the region, Jaishankar called for introspection if “good neighbourliness” is missing somewhere.
“If trust is lacking or cooperation inadequate, if friendship has fallen short and good neighbourliness is missing somewhere, there are surely reasons to introspect and causes to address,” he said.
The EAM noted that the SCO Charter was clear about the three main challenges the Organisation was committed to combating: terrorism, extremism and separatism.
“It is only when we reaffirm our commitment most sincerely to the Charter that we can fully realize the benefits of cooperation and integration that it envisages,” he added.
While pointing out that the globalisation and re-balancing have created many new opportunities in terms of trade, investment, connectivity, energy flows and other forms of collaboration, the minister asserted that the region would also benefit if take them forward.
He, however, was quick to add that the cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality.
“It should recognize territorial integrity and sovereignty. It must be built on genuine partnerships, not unilateral agendas. It cannot progress if we cherry-pick global practices, especially of trade and transit,” Jaishankar said.
Holding peace and stability as prerequisites for development and growth, the EAM asserted that it would mean being firm and uncompromising in countering the “three evils”.
“If activities across borders are characterized by terrorism, extremism and separatism, they are hardly likely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel,” the minister said, in an apparent swipe at Pakistan.
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